AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation finalists announced

After an intensive inspection process at each location (in-loco), 22 qualifying projects out of 47 entries have been identified by the adjudication panel including three in KwaZulu-Natal.

The KZN final qualifying entries include:

Gorgeous Green House, a client-driven poster child for sustainable green living by Sagnelli Associate Architects.

Liv Village - Designworkshop

Government House in Pietermaritzburg by Robert JW Brusse Architects is a heritage restoration project of a beautiful 1845 Edwardian styled house for UNISA.

Gorgeous Green House - Sagnelli Associate Architects

LIV Village by Designworkshop:SA is a village for orphaned and vulnerable children that includes a community clinic, open-air hall, educational facilities, as well as accommodation.

Government House Pietermaritzburg - Robert JW Brusse Architect

The 22 qualifying projects in the award span all four categories - Sustainable Architecture and Research in Sustainability, as well as the two new categories Sustainable Products and Technology, and Sustainable Social Programmes. These reflect a growing national engagement with design, innovation and sustainability, with representation from many different regions of South and southern Africa.

“The award assessed by the project responds to the criteria of harmonisation, people upliftment, evolutionary paradigm and placemaking performance,” comments KZN-based architect Richard Stretton, member of the adjudication team.

Unsuccessful projects

“Successful projects not only respond to these criteria but also use the criteria as design generating tools. Unsuccessful projects make tokenistic gestures to sustainability without demonstrating the understanding that the criteria of sustainability are as important as user function and aesthetic beauty. The building must have a clear function and be in use.”

Stretton, a previous winner and eminent architect and furniture designer, conducted the site visits with other members of the six-person adjudicating team - Kevin Bingham (VP of SAIA), Daniel Irurah (sustainable architecture academic), Llewellyn van Wyk (principal researcher at Building Science and Technology), Sebasti Badenhorst (AfriSam representative) and Eric Noir (Africa region director of the International Union of Architects’ work programme, Architecture for a Sustainable Future).

The bi-annual AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation is dedicated to acknowledging best practice and innovation in sustainable architecture in South Africa. Its aim is to promote and increase learning and understanding of sustainability within the context of the human built environment. The awards takes place on 27 October in Cape Town.

Full list of final qualifying entries:

Category A: Sustainable Architecture

1. African School for Excellence - Local Studio
2. Barn House - Strey Architects
3. BMW Head Office Building - Boogertman+Partners Architects
4. Dea Building - Boogertman+Partners Architects
5. Gorgeous Green House - Sagnelli Associate Architects
6. Government House Pietermaritzburg - Robert JW Brusse Architect
7. Icat Eco Factory - Earthworld Architects
8. Liv Village - Designworkshop
9. Maboneng Precinct - Daffonchio & Associate Architects
10. New Business School for NMMU - The Workplace Architects With Gapp
11. Oudebosch Camp Kogelberg - Architecture Coop
12. Outreach Foundation Community Centre - Local Studio
13. Wits Rural Facility - Kate Otten Architects
14. WWF SA Braamfontein - Alive Architecture

Category B: Research in Sustainability

15. Designing Hope for Pathways To Regenerative Sustainability - Chrisna du Plessis

Category C: Sustainable Product / Technology

16. Otto Cottage - Paul Marais
17. Pod Idladla - Collaborate
18. Solar Turtle - Ugesi Gold
19. Vodafone Site Solution Innovation Centre - Grosskopff Lombard Huyberechts & Associates

Category D: Sustainable Social Programme

20. Bridgingmzamba - Buildcollectivenpo With Carinthia University of Applied Science
21. Malawi School - Architecture for a Change
22. Ultimum Refugium - Ntsika Architects

The bi-annual AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture was first introduced in 2009 and recognises outstanding achievement in sustainable architecture as well as creating public awareness and debate on architectural issues.

For more info, go to www.sustainabledesign.co.za.